Going through a change
Snowshoe hares happily hop
Getting on with life

There are actual people
half woman half man
running mornings and
dream people in movies
half language half light.
Tomorrow is John’s funeral.

* * *

This is my minute
my moment
Oops, gone!

Anything can happen
if you don’t resist
Resist!

* * *

But who am I? You think bullets won’t
****? I’m the guy they put before a
wall and shoot then eat lunch.

* * *

Long as yr livin
yr havin that dream in
which yr killin the villains
w/o even needin a weapon.

* * *

If it was fun, they wouldn't call it work,
but it is fun. It's what we do, a bird
sings, dogs bark. We work. Sing bark work.
Honey, put on your shorts, it's gonna be 90 today.

* * *

How right is the rabbi!
"What a good and bright world this is if we do not lose our hearts to it,
But what a dark world if we do!"

* * *

We saw a barred owl
camouflaged in winter branches.
Bird of death (in myth), hunts down the dark,
floats to a farther tree, turns its back, and naps.

* * *

The sadness of summer, the silence of winter
you can’t sum it up in one more metaphor.
So don’t complain about the epoch you live in.
Go to Big Hidden Lake and jump in!

* * *

Down to negative calories, in deep snow
we find soft wintering rose hips, gobble them down.
First time for me a wild edible made a difference,
not just a delicacy. Then we snowshoe out.

* * *

Spring morning
flycatchers, jays, thrushes, a woodpecker’s loony cry.
A toilet flushes.

* * *

Zach
awoke from a scary dream
I kissed him back to bed

He asked
are all the doors locked?
I said yes knowing they would not hold

* * *

The republic may expire
but birds go on traveling, singing
in their best attire.

* * *

My plump cashier
has a new love.
Her skin is clear
and her line moves.

* * *

Desafinado means slightly out of tune which is not a problem.
It’s a fortunate condition. Zach just called from school sounding clear
and happy to say there’s floor hockey this afternoon. For me, another       cold,
slow Spring. How lucky!

* * *

At basketball I was reminded
the better players in their private moments
think on the ultimate reward. Perfect rest.

* * *

You come in our backyard, we go in yours.
That about sums it up. Assuming there are definable, accepted backyards.
Suppose it’s all one backyard and time is all one sheet of ice?

* * *

My son Zach said as a toddler he liked the old house
and he’s having a good time now at the new house.
We were lying together in the window seat passing the early morning       time,
late September and happy as I was I thought what’s running out is time.

* * *

The young women’s bodies were awesome. I appreciated
the couple of Muslim women who kept their bodies
covered. That was easier on an old man’s eyes.

Not that I wanted to change the American girls’ ways.
They seemed comfortable wearing underwear outdoors
and unaware, more or less, of the longing it provoked.

* * *

To invade a clean house
searching for weapons or insurgents, I agree
with the enemy, that is a sacrilege.
Not that I accept their god, and there could be,
hiding, a mouse.

* * *

I tell my sons
If some man tries to pull you into his car, fight
kick bite yell run punch curse scratch knife
make him **** you right there in the street
use your feet your fear your hate.

* * *

If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.
—Mario Andretti

* * *

The river in its muddy symmetry
high water mark in Spring
is a god to me
in a way that I can be to a dog while thinking
or the sky is to the hanging apple.

* * *

A day, a new day, starts at 5:00.
Earlier than that it’s still yesterday,
the rags and dreams, the sweat and worry, the *** and laughter
of that day. The alcohol and aspirin, the sunset and machinery, the dinner       and toothache
of that day. The germs and friends, the sports and editorial, the gleam and
      dullness
of that day.

* * *

The key to success is cross out, delete, compress,
rub out, expunge, black out scratch out blot out,
censor, crop, shorten and silence.
Clip, cut, erase and eradicate.
Hate everything you write.

* * *

I will be saved
and spanked too.

* * *

Phil is on a movie diet. Bad movies in which the logic switch is turned off. Jumps from scene to scene like a cat.
Most ******* is hilariously obscene. Genitals like little animals. Snowplows hit potholes sending up sparks.

* * *

Make way for a future that’s irresistible!
Dust. Rest. Mist. Rust.
One day follows another until the last day.
And on that day, there will be weather.

* * *

Driving in traffic
80 mph, 80 y/o.
Turkey vultures shrug shoulders.

* * *

When an archangel
flies into your windshield
sing cuckoo!

First sun-warmed sand
First boots-and-socks-off beach
First ankle-deep stand in rushing water
First SPF rubbed on my face
First crocus pops up in the yard
(Delicately)

Nearby, a young father begins
to teach his toddling young
how to fish.
(Patiently)

Last high-country snowshoe
Last low-country woodstove fire
Last hot bourbon toddy
Last dreamy days of Pisces
Last longing for lost love melts away
(Finally.)

Early over the mountain
the nearly-but-not-yet worm moon
spies the confluence and I below.
(Knowingly)

Here at the place where things change,
the wild world fills me
and I devote myself once more.
(Wholly)

For one who is in love with the chase
And the glory of all things yet-to-be done,
The true rapture of Nature is in knowing
She is too Big, Wild, and Free to own.
(Like me.)

Hailey was my
bread & honey, so
sweet as ever would yield in darkness
what spirit said;
she enraptured lares and penates
with Thanksgiving
where clockwork sublime
these snowshoe hares incorporated town  
yet made shortcake by rhyme
where her tiara became a romantic kiss
with Utopian dream she once set afar in her earthly presence,
these ties of scholarly pursuit in her like bodleian unlocked charm  
and this game unfurled beyond its claim forthwith reform,
this newly espoused ideology ever changing her today.

Winters depth was cold.... sharp..... and bright.
Saturday was pristine...... endless and white

Ice cream!

It was our destination!
Miles hence
as flies the crow
'cross frozen wastes
in boot deep snow

Leroy
Roberta
and I

We were
Invincible to the temperature
that squeaked the dinted snow,
and made ice groan.

Fingerlings on tree branch ends
popped
like corn
We were Invincible.... We ignored!

Ice Cream! Ice Cream! Ice Cream!
A single minded mission
held by three

Forging scars
in a world un-marred.
****** world for us
but for snow no more.
Imprinted with our mark

No worldly hurdle
would keep us
from this dream
Ice
and Cream!

We were Foot soldiers
subtracting distance,
in a mimes frozen vision
of a frosty silent world

Undaunted,
onward we tread.
Invincible as Gods.
Superior to man,
As I've said.

We reached the river.
Our path behind,
a thread.

It tied us
to such comforts
as food and warmth
and bed.

We met the ice fearless
Our souls skimming cloud tops
Boundless in our self belief
Far greater than the confined dimensions
of what was real
Our Ice Cream dream
secure

Leroy
Roberta
and I

That deep freezer freeze
Held for years

or so it seemed

Stealing the breath
of days uncounted
Each memory hanging in the air
that Christmas break

Suspended

Like a frigid ornament
or the unchanging face
of death.
Chiselled in my mind

That river...
a congealed
unmoving
hibernating vein

Single file we forded
with a mine field mentality
Our Ice Cream destination
drove us on

The river screamed
aching bones rubbed together
by the weather
moaned and heaved

Tortured sounds
like chambered souls
escaped from the dungeon
of the river bed
wailing like the forgotten ******
The forever dead

Ice Cream....
Ice Cream....
Ice Cream....

We were Gods!
We would not stop
for the ****** and the dead!

But There!.... There! ....There!
There collapsed the Godly dream!
River ripped wide,
an unholy seam!

Shore to shore!
Between my feet!
And all those souls boiled
Fleeing from the depths
for their escape!

Roberta my twin
and Leroy my friend,
like snowshoe rabbits
never felt that breath
and ran!

I FELL !

I fell that day...
clinging to my life
death beneath my feet
so wet

I clutched!
I grabbed!
I crawled!
I scratched!

Fingers digging deep!

Away, away, away,
I inched from that hell
made especially for me.

Saucer eyed and transfixed
my Twin and Friend
overcame!
grasped my wrist
and stole me from my end

and there we were
Him and Her and me
and yet...
we could not leave.

One Christmas boot was gone
as was the ice cream dream

Tantalizing
That boot seemed to balance
where the water boiled
icy cold

Hells rift gloating open
Its blood exposed
Boot there dancing ghoulish,
on the seam

And so we lay prone
upon the ice
A now less than Godly chain
Roberta grabbing for my boot
A prize of value
above worldly gains

She snatched that boot
and made quick retreat,
We were defeated soldiers
Him and her and me

We followed our string
t'ward comfort waiting
warm and safe,
Secure.
Serene.

Death had not beaten us.
Nor the wrath of Gods
Not even that river
where hell escaped
could claim that mighty deed

No!
No!
No!

It was a much hotter fire!
A colder ire!
The punishment
of "Mom!"

Our Ice cream dream died that day
as did something else
I no longer walk among the Gods
A diminished view
of self

Never again would I place my boot
within the world of men
Immortal and invincible
Now I am...

simply just a man

Roosty

As all leaves have fallen to bare empty trees
Temperatures begin to drop
Colder and colder each day
From not being able to see your breath to seeing
And all the long sleeves and pants come out
With hats and mittens and boots and all other snow gear
Its time for the delicate and soft things to fall

For how could this be so soft yet hard at the same time?
Soft when first falling from the white clouds above
To being packed into spherical shapes to become hard
That is white all year round from cloud to ground
Yet when gone number one in or stepped on many times
Turns a different color

On those nights with the lights outside seeing them flakes fall
And looking so peaceful it just seems so relaxing to sit and look at
And watch gracefully fall for hours at a time

Thinking how pure it is to have something glide to earth
Making the round land we are on so beautiful you look in awe

To be outside no longer warm
To dress cozy to enjoy the weather and play in the fluffiness
Or stickiness and build with it
Just too much fun sometimes
After to come inside and heat up with some hot chocolate
Or maybe some tea and warm fuzzy blankets

The outdoors becomes cold and sometimes like ice
We choose to stay in and play some games and have some family time
Read a book
Or even a movie with some snacks to enjoy

Before bed as it continues to fall and watching it
As you begin to fall asleep makes the night relaxing
And followed by peaceful dreams

When grown and with the significant other or married spouse
For some to be outside and kiss under the elegant shapes
Is magical and sometimes cooler than kissing in the rain

To be able to build igloos and snowman
Making snow angles and snowballs
To tunnels and riding down hills
Snowshoe and go cross country on skis
To finding a sled or tube to ride down hills
Gaining speed and once in a while crashing
Or falling off with laughter to top it off
To catching them on your tongue
Sometimes even in the eyes but that’s alright
Because it is just water after all just a different form

With water freezing and some roads turning to ice
And lakes, rivers and other bodies of water freezing over
To skate on, play games on, fish on

It’s a wonderful season
Another time to get together with
Family from both sides
Enjoy homemade foods
Cookies that get made once a year
To ending the year and beginning the year
With the snowflakes that glide and shimmer

For some who don’t like to be around it as much
Or even as long
Vacation time is around the corner
To leave the white beauty to travel to warmer weather
For a week or maybe some months
But to come back with it still here
But not always

When it begins to fade and the inches become centimeters
To seeing the grass again
It is time to say goodbye
Goodbye till the end of the year
Goodbye winter gear
Goodbye but not for good all them long sleeve and comfy clothes
To the hot chocolate we all love
But secretly still have throughout the year

Saying Hello to warmer weather
Temperatures rising
Slowly
Rain coming
Storms coming for May to bring flowers
Once again

Goodbye winter for not many will miss you
But there of us who will and
Be waiting till you come again

You are many things
Many ways to describe you
Even though you can make us cold
And yet enjoy your presence
See you again

The snowshoe hare hid
In the whiteness but the wolf
Even whiter pounced

Little snowshoe hare
Leaving fresh tracks in the snow
Spring is on the way.

you don't want to ***** this newness with yourself
you lie
half-woken, a story
slipping in vomitous avalanche
of nowness, mourning
on a stack of crumpled sheets

night-stuck whiteness, imagining all
the games you might play
if you were to forget
your age: shaking
all that powder into the cracks
of your muscadet
dry skin
notes of apples,
saline

weather-woman, with her green screen showmanship
had not portended this outcome
this modern diviner you hold in high esteem

you always liked the way magicians seemed
to make something out of nothing
(a rabbit from a tophat gap, coins out of earlobes)
and winter is sort of like that, too
you wake up and everything is blanketed, you don't remember
the process, how it all got there
a snowshoe hare leaps
like she formed right on the snowbank
paper that came pre-sketched
free of gestation

beneath the avalanche muscadet turns to claret
but we can't see it happening
for miles and miles a blank page
what dies under the heel of perfection
a magician never reveals his secrets